Dancing With the Devil
by Arina2
Summary: BTVS/Smallville crossover. A certain Luthor finds out the consequences of making a deal with the devil. Willow/Lex *WIP*
1. Prologue

Title: Dancing With the Devil  
  
Author: Arina  
  
Email: arinasel@hotmail.com  
  
Category: BTVS/Smallville crossover  
  
Pairing: Willow/Lex  
  
Rating: PG for now  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* I own nothing. But I won't refuse..  
  
Summary: A certain Luthor finds out the consequences of making a deal with the devil.  
  
Notes: Takes place after Season Six of Buffy and after the first season of Smallville (mainly because I haven't seen season two yet). It's set when Clark and co are in their senior year of high school. I've also only seen a handful of episodes, so be warned, I may get a few things wrong.  
  
Feedback: Would love it. Please?  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
PROLOGUE  
  
Heaven and Hell.  
  
Two overused references in today's society, relating to the factions of behavioural consequences of humans. Consequences which strike fear into the hearts of believers. Followers. You know, *those* kind of people.  
  
The kind of people Mormons lived for. Ones they picture in their minds as they ask if you've smiled at your God today.  
  
It is generally believed that those who sin during the course of their life on Earth face their eternal judgement in the flame-emblazoned fortress known as Hell. Sins of the deadliest kinds to be reaped for from the most wicked of humans. Pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth are transgressions seen to be the most deadly of all, ones which the Devil himself thrives upon.  
  
But of course, that is only if one were to live their life out of self- service and sin. For there are also good people in the world who devote their lives to their God and purity. People who would in turn, receive their eternal bliss known as entrance to Heaven.  
  
Seems to be a fair exchange, doesn't it? Live good, rewarded nicely. Do bad and expect consequences.  
  
Traditionally, this was the way people lived. Basing lifestyles on the reasoning of 'action-reaction', those who wanted a certain type of lifestyle usually got it.  
  
Especially seeing as how the Devil is negotiable.  
  
The Unholy creature himself is fair, by His own standards. If he is to carry out a favour, it is expected that He is to be reimbursed. A sacrifice, a soul, it matters not. The point of the exchange is to recognise that the Devil himself has just as much control over the world as God does. Perhaps even more.  
  
After all, how many people do you see selling their soul to God?  
  
So this is where the story begins. It involves a deal with the dark, a trip to Hell and the ever-controlling quest for power.  
  
Same old, same old, right? Maybe. Maybe not.  
  
So where to begin the story? Oh, that's right.  
  
In a little town called Smallville. 


	2. Chapter 1

PART 1  
  
Lex Luthor was in foul mood.  
  
Granted, he was never really in a great mood, but everything about this day just bit him on the ass. He'd been involved in a car accident early in the morning and was now sporting a nice cut above the eye and a swollen jaw. His investments had completely fallen through and plummeted by mid- afternoon and around four o'clock he received a call for a meeting with his father.  
  
Brilliant.  
  
Unlocking the door to his home, he ignored the housemaid fussing over his injuries, climbing the staircase to his office. Opening the door, he stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest as a grumpy look settled over his face.  
  
His father wasn't there.  
  
Perfect. This was just perfect. Lex hated waiting almost as much as he hated his father. Now he had to suck up his pride and wait for his father.  
  
His cellphone began to ring. Flipping it open, he settled into the deskchair as he spoke. "Hello? Oh, hey Clark . . .yeah, the Talon tonight, right? I'll try and stop by . . . might be late, though . . ."  
  
Lex looked up as a shadow fell over his desk.  
  
Lionel had arrived.  
  
"Yeah, sure . . . hey Clark, I have to go now, but I might see you tonight. Yeah, bye."  
  
Snapping the phone shut, he stood up as father and son stared one another in the eye. Finally, Lionel spoke.  
  
"Jesus, Lex. What the hell happened to you? You look like you've been in a car wreck."  
  
"Maybe because I have," his son answered dryly. "But I don't think you're here to talk about that."  
  
"Come on, now. Is it such a crime for me to be concerned with my own son's well-being? You have to give me more credit than that."  
  
"No, I don't." Lex said flatly. "Look *Dad*, I'm really not in the mood for this crap right now, so why don't you just tell me why you're here and leave it at that?"  
  
The bemusement left Lionel's face. "Well, *son*, your mood has jack all to do with any of this," he snapped. "And you *will* address me with more respect in the future."  
  
He paused and gave his son a cold look. "I'm here to tell you I'm going away on a . . . holiday. Indefinitely."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"I came to tell you personally not to meddle in my affairs. All my investments and projects will be handled accordingly."  
  
Lex raised an eyebrow. "By whom? You plan on working while you screw off on your 'holiday?'"  
  
"No, I don't. There is someone who will oversee my affairs instead of you." Lionel smirked. "Not that I don't trust you, Lex. I just think a change is in order."  
  
Lex snorted. "A change? And who is in charge of this change? You don't even trust your accountants to handle your financial deals."  
  
"She is a highly qualified -"  
  
"Oh, it's a *she* now is it? Let's wonder how *she* got the job. Hmmm."  
  
"Her name is Willow and she is highly skilled in this area of -"  
  
"Is she now? Never heard of her before. In any company. Then again, you never mentioned a surname, so it's hard to tell how well known she is. Say Dad, don't most prostitutes go by first name only? Is that where you met her?"  
  
Lex walked around the desk to stare straight into his father's eyes. "You worry about me running the Luther name and business into the ground, but you should really worry about your own ignorance. Letting some floozy take over your projects. It's humiliating."  
  
"You know nothing of what you speak of, boy." Lionel's eyes were smouldering.  
  
"Don't I? Well then, let's call this a guess. I *guess* you knocked her up and she wants a piece of Luther fortune while you run off to find some dumbass lawyer to get you out the this mess with the slut. Is that right?"  
  
"Not at all, Lexy."  
  
Both men turned in the direction of the newcomer. In the doorway stood a young woman, dressed as she might if she were to head out to a nightclub. Looking more like a devious troublemaker than a sophisticated businesswoman, she'd swept her red hair back from her face and was tapping her nails against the doorframe. Obviously this was Willow.  
  
Lex shot her an unimpressed look. "So," he said flatly. "You must be Willow."  
  
She raised an eyebrow at his tone of voice. Lips curving into a smile, she stepped closer to him. "Now, now Lexy," she drawled. She was now inches away from his face.  
  
"Is that any way to talk to your new mother?" 


	3. Chapter 2

PART 2  
  
Lex froze and stared at the redhead in shock. This was a joke. It had to be. But the expression on her face was blank and anything but mirthful. He didn't dare look at his father, knowing that a satisfied smirk would be found on his lecherous face.  
  
His new mother?  
  
No fucking way.  
  
"Yo -you're kidding, right?"  
  
Willow cocked her head to the side. "Do you think I'm kidding?"  
  
"I -I don't know," Lex answered numbly. This wasn't happening. His father couldn't have been so stupid as to marry a girl younger than -  
  
Wait.  
  
Why was she smiling?  
  
Willow burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, that was just too good to miss. The look on your face was just priceless!"  
  
As she continued to chuckle, Lex frowned. "So -you-uh -"  
  
"This was a joke," she said slowly, as if speaking to a young child.  
  
"A joke?" Lex felt a wave of relief sweep over him. "So you're not my . . ."  
  
"New mother?" she filled in. "Hell no. You honestly think Lionel here has a chance with me?"  
  
She laughed again and went to close the door of the office. "I was just poking fun at you, cutie. God knows you need some."  
  
"So . . .the deal with my father's businesses -"  
  
"Was completely true. He wasn't joking about that. Don't think he knows how to. I'm here to take over for your dear old dad. For now at least."  
  
Shit shit shit! "Wh -so. . . you're taking over? Just like that?"  
  
"Yep. Contract signed and everything."  
  
He was floored. "Well -do you have any experience in this field at all?"  
  
"Honestly? Not really. But I'm a fast learner." She grinned at him.  
  
He couldn't believe this. Lex glared at his father. "What is wrong with you?" he exploded. "She could ruin everything!"  
  
Lionel said nothing. Instead, he looked at Willow, an expression of loathing and despair on his face.  
  
"What, he doesn't know?" Willow asked Lionel incredulously. "I can't believe you haven't told him. What a nice family you have here. And I thought mine was bad."  
  
Lionel's jaw was clenched. "I saw no reason to tell him," he gritted out.  
  
"No reason? You act like you gave away a lolly." Willow shook her head disapprovingly. "I support his statement. What *is* wrong with you?"  
  
"Will someone tell me what's going on here?" Lex snapped. He was getting pissed off.  
  
Willow looked him up and down for the longest time. Lex felt as though she were mentally stripping him with her eyes. Shifting uncomfortably, he waited as Willow tossed him another grin. "Okay," she said finally. "But I suggest you sit down. This might take a while."  
  
"Willow, you -"  
  
"You ought to sit down too, Lionel," she interrupted him. "This has to come out sooner or later, and what better way than with me as narrator?"  
  
"I don't need you telling the story," he growled at her.  
  
"You don't have a choice," she snapped. "So sit."  
  
As the two men seated themselves, Willow began to pace the room leisurely. "Do you know what they say about the Devil, Lex?"  
  
"What?"  
  
She picked up a small globe and inspected it. "They say he walks the Earth. That he lords over both Hell and this world. Lives off our misery, you see." She put the globe down.  
  
"He's real, you know. Inhabits people. Consumes them, leaving behind a shell of a human, if at all." Willow began to pace the room again, this time playing with a Rubik's Cube. "You never know when you meet him. He could be anyone -your postman, school principal, county lawyer, anyone." She paused for a moment, fiddling with the cube. "Though he's more likely to be a lawyer than a principal, but that's really beside the point."  
  
She stopped once again, twisting the sides of the cube. Taking in her words, Lex found his eyes sliding over to throw a suspicious look at his father, who was sitting uncomfortably in his chair. Willow noticed the look and grinned. "No, no Lex. As hard as it may be to believe, your father is not the Devil I'm speaking of. However, he is, as I understand, quite familiar with him."  
  
She turned her eyes to the older Luthor. "Isn't that right, Liony?"  
  
He glared back at her. "Get on with the story," he snapped.  
  
"My, my. What a crankpot." Willow tapped her chin with her finger. "Now, where was I? Oh, that's right. I was telling a story. Do you know about your legacy, Lex?"  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"You were poor. Well, your ancestors were. The Luthors, as history has it, were street scum. The fact that no-one had any money didn't keep you lot from reproducing, though. The whole lot of you just popped out like bunnies."  
  
By now, Willow had discarded the Rubik's Cube, now holding an ornate letter opener. "Then one day, a little boy decided he had enough of being poor. Only natural to have someone like that in every family. Anyway, what this boy did was make a wish. But he didn't aim it at the higher powers. No, he knew they couldn't do jack to help him. So he asked someone else."  
  
She set the letter opener down and picked up the cube again. "He asked someone with power. Lots of power. And sure enough, they helped him and in less than a year, the proper Luthor legacy began."  
  
She grinned at him and Lex looked back at her, deep-seeded dislike on his face. "Nice story, huh? But wait, it gets better. You see, help didn't come free. He had to give away something first. Do you want to know what he gave?"  
  
"Do I have a choice?"  
  
"Not really. Just thought I'd include you in this story. Now, what he gave was something very, very important and irreplaceable. He gave away his soul. And I don't mean metaphorically."  
  
Lex looked at her as though she were insane, but remained silent. Willow hopped onto the desk. "Wanna know who it was? Actually, I think you should tell him, Lionel."  
  
Lionel shot her a fierce look and mumbled something under his breath.  
  
"Oh come on, Liony. Don't be shy. Nice and loud, so we all can hear."  
  
"My father," he repeated in a clearer mumble.  
  
"Give the man a prize!" Willow clapped her hands like a little girl. "Now, I know what you're thinking, Lex. 'This girl is crazy!' But just wait -I haven't even gotten to the good part yet."  
  
She scooted back on the desk and sat cross-legged. "Now, Lucus Luthor sold part of his soul to establish a reputation. That part we've covered. Now we move onto the part where Lionel here does something very, very bad."  
  
She smiled sweetly at the glowering business tycoon. "Did you ever wonder how he recovered from near bankruptcy three years ago, Lex? That was a shocker of a time. But hey, we all know that Luthor's bounce back, right?"  
  
"What Lucus did was sell part of his soul to a demon. But Lionel always liked to go all the way, right sweetie? So in order to keep the business booming, Lionel decided to sell his whole soul . . . to the Devil."  
  
Silence filled the room. Lex looked at his father, who was glaring with hatred at the woman. This was unbelievable. Lex burst out with unimpressed laughter, looking coldly at the redhead. "I don't know what your game is, girl, but you're right. I do think you're crazy. Demons and Devils? You honestly expect me to believe that?"  
  
Willow shrugged. "Why not? Your darling dad isn't denying anything."  
  
"He doesn't have to!" Lex snapped. "This is insane. *You're* insane. You can't sell your soul."  
  
"Guess again, sweetpea. You can, he did and now you're rich."  
  
Lex looked at his father. "She's lying, right? This is all some sick, psychotic method of blackmailing you, isn't it?"  
  
Willow let out a bark of laughter. "Blackmail? Why would I blackmail him? I gave him back his soul."  
  
"You what?"  
  
"That's right. Your father sold his soul and I gave it back to him."  
  
Lex's head was spinning. This was all too much. "I don't believe any of this."  
  
The humour left Willow's face. A cold mask settling over her features, she hopped off the desk and stared face to face with Lex. "I'm not sugaring this up anymore, Lex. I'm going to say this straight so that you *do* believe it."  
  
"One year ago, I was a witch. The most powerful witch in all of California. They say the power got to my head, so my friends sent me to Hell. That's right. My dear, sweet bosom buddies decided that my power corrupted me, so they decided to send me off to Hell where I belonged." She cut off Lex when she saw he was about to speak. "Shut up, Luthor. I'm talking."  
  
"So there I am in Hell. Body and soul, one on one with the Devil himself. Until one particularly torturous day, I come across one of the many souls Lucifer stores away to play with when he's bored. This was one pitiful wreck of a spirit, too, begging me to get him out of there. As if I could help him. I was banished to Hell and the moron thought I could just waltz on out, just because I was full form." She shot a contemptuous look at Lionel.  
  
"That's right, Lex. Your dad's soul whined like a bitch with cramps down there in Hell. Even Lucifer was sickened."  
  
Lex narrowed his eyes at the redhead. She *looked* sane. "Say I believe you for a second. How did you get out of Hell?"  
  
"Good question, sweetie. Glad to see you're joining in, too. See, when I was down there, I felt a tugging, like something was about to rip me out of there. And sure enough, it did. Of course, Lionel noticed and being the sly old dog he is, offered me a trade -I get him out of Hell and he gives me control of LuthorCorp."  
  
She sighed and shook her head. "I should have known someone would notice."  
  
"You said you were a witch. Why couldn't you get out of there yourself?"  
  
"You and your father, both asking the same question. When you've been banished, you can't get out unless someone pulls you out. You're stuck there. And you're right- I *was* a witch. But everything I had was lost in the Devil's lair, which was probably why those backstabbers sent me there in the first place. I stand here as mortal as you and that housekeeper you have downstairs."  
  
She shot him a grim look. "Lionel knew I had no power. That's why I'm here -if I can't have my old powers back, then I'm going to use his and he knows there ain't a damn thing he can do about it."  
  
Willow stood up and stretched. "Well, that's the story. What do you think?"  
  
Lex just stared at her. "I think you're insane," he said bluntly.  
  
"Hmm. Well, I guess I might be. A year of torture can do that to you. Although, I have a feeling I was there for a lot longer than that. Oh well, nothing you can do about that now." She sauntered to the door, pausing to look back at Lionel. "Doesn't your flight leave soon?"  
  
"In an hour," he replied through clenched teeth.  
  
"You've got to be kidding!" Lex protested. "She's insane! You're actually going to let her handle the company?"  
  
"Of course he is," Willow replied. "He made a promise, and every one knows that when you make a deal with a devil, you have to keep it. Besides, your father needs to get used to having a soul again. Gone three years without one, you know."  
  
Lex looked helplessly at his father, who merely stared back. "I'll be back when I can," Lionel said curtly, standing up. He walked past Willow, stopping to glare dead-on with the redhead. "You really belong in Hell, you know that?"  
  
"So I've been told," she answered easily. She gave him a chirpy smile. "Have a nice holiday."  
  
Lionel growled and stormed out, leaving a stunned son behind. Willow turned and gave the heir an impish grin. "Problem?"  
  
"Y -you -I can't believe this!" Lex sputtered. "You've brainwashed him!"  
  
She sighed. "I see this is going to take some time. But since I'm moving in, I guess we've got all the time in the world."  
  
"Y- what?"  
  
Her grin returned. "That's right, sweetie. I'm moving in."  
  
"You can't!"  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Sorry cutie, but you really don't get a say in this. I more or less own your father, which means I can take this company and run it through the gutter if I want, and all you can do is sit back and watch."  
  
She clapped her hands with delight. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun! You and I working and living together. . . we're going to have such a blast!"  
  
He stared at her in defeat. "You really are the devil."  
  
"No, I'm not." She winked at him. "But I can introduce you." 


	4. Chapter 3

PART 3  
  
"Rise and shine, Lexy!"  
  
The curtains were drawn apart, allowing bright rays of early morning sunshine into the room. Lex could feel the light penetrating him through his eyelids. He mumbled something and rolled over, covering his head with his quilt. He could hear a muffled 'tut, tut' and was momentarily blinded by sunlight as the covers were thrown off his bed.  
  
"What are you doing?" he growled sleepily, shielding the light with his hand. He could make out a form standing at the foot of his bed.  
  
"Come on, cutie," a chirpy feminine voice said. "Time to get up."  
  
"Too early," he mumbled, groggily blinking away the dots before his eyes.  
  
"Early? No such thing. Live life to the fullest, Lex, otherwise you'll miss all the fun." Willow plonked down on his bed, flashing him a bright smile. She'd left her hair out and with the sunlight creating a halo of gold around her head, she looked quite attractive.  
  
Whoa, whoa. Attractive? No. Evil, insane woman. Not attractive.  
  
"We have a very busy day ahead of us, Lex."  
  
"We do?"  
  
"Yep. You're going to show me what's around town today. And if you're a good boy, I might just let you in on a little secret."  
  
"Oh, gee. Another secret." The sarcasm was heavy in Lex's drowsy tone. "Lucky me. What is it, I have a bastard older brother who promised his soul to the Devil, too?"  
  
Willow grinned. "Maybe," she said coyly, laughing at the look of panic to pass over his face. "Now get up!"  
  
When she left the room, Lex glanced at his bedside clock. Six-thirty in the friggin morning. Great. Of all the insane women to save his father's soul, he had to get the early riser.  
  
Assuming she was telling the truth about the whole 'Hell' thing, of course. Lex didn't know what to think. The whole situation was so absurd, it could actually be real. Willow really seemed to believe it, and his father hadn't actually denied any of it. Otherwise, how else could some strange girl manage to seize control of a company belonging to the most ruthless business tycoon Metropolis had ever seen?  
  
Unless of course, she blackmailed him.  
  
He rolled out of bed and groaned. If Willow wasn't insane, then she'd definitely drive him there.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
" . . . and that's pretty much all of Smallville," Lex finished off tiredly. He'd taken Willow around for a tour of the town, pointing out this and that at her request. She'd been fascinated by certain things, such as the peacefulness of the town. Apparently she'd never had much peace around her hometown.  
  
"Hmm. Well, as far as saving souls, I could have done a lot worse. Could have wound up with Amish people." Willow grinned at the sour look to cross over Lex's face. "Geez, take a joke for a change. It's not like you like this place all that much. It's a nice little town. . . filled with farms."  
  
They were on their way back to the castle. Willow insisted on being shown Metropolis the next day, saying there were things she had to tell him back at the castle.  
  
They arrived around noon. Entering what was now 'their' home, Willow led him to the kitchen, shooing away the cook hovering nearby, telling him to take the rest of the day off. She motioned for Les to sit on a stool as she headed to one of the fridges.  
  
"Feel like a sandwich, Lex?" she asked, rummaging through the compartments, allowing the heir a rather nice view of her behind.  
  
"Sure," he answered warily as she dumped a load of ingredients on the counter. He planned on watching her make the sandwich. No way could he trust her with his meal. She could easily poison him.  
  
"You don't trust me, do you?" she asked, pulling out several slices of bread. It was as if she'd read his mind.  
  
"No."  
  
She laughed. "Honesty. I like that. Been a while since I came across any." She began to wash the lettuce and tomatoes.  
  
"What did you want to talk about, Willow?" Lex was getting impatient.  
  
She looked up and him for a second before she continued tearing the lettuce leaves. "I know things are really . . .strange for you right now, what with me popping up and your father zooming off again. And I know you think I'm weird for telling you what I have so far."  
  
"Weird doesn't seem to cover it."  
  
She chuckled as she sliced a tomato. "I'm going to tell you a few more things, sweetie. Probably won't get you to think I'm any more sane, but it might convince you that I've been telling you the truth about where I've been."  
  
"You and Lionel aren't close," she stated. "Despite the fact that you're his only son, he'd rather spend his time with his money than with you."  
  
Lex snorted. "Not to shock you, Willow, but everybody knows that. My father is a cold-hearted, greedy son of a bitch. That's what he bases his business on."  
  
"Ooh, I seem to have struck a nerve, haven't I, cutie? Sorry about that. Figured that being the strong manly man that you are, you wouldn't let a silly little girl like me push your buttons."  
  
The Luthor heir glared at the redhead. "Get on with it."  
  
She raised an eyebrow as the expression on her face turned cold. "I wouldn't give that attitude if I were you, Lex. You don't know what I might do with it."  
  
"What can you do, Willow?" Lex sneered. "You don't even know me."  
  
"Ahh, well that's where you're wrong, honey. I *do* know you. I don't know you better than you know yourself, but I do know you better than anyone else does."  
  
She locked eyes with his and bore into them. "I know things about you, Lex. Things only you would know. Like what happened after your mother died. Lionel forbade you to cry in public, so you used to climb trees and hide in bushes so that no one could see you cry."  
  
Lex blinked.  
  
"And when you were twelve," she went on, "you were at a boarding school and the other boys made fun of your hair. Sorry, lack of hair. Then one boy, Billy Jackson made you so mad that in the middle of the night you dragged him out of bed and shaved his hair and eyebrows off. No one ever made fun of you after that."  
  
Lex swallowed. He'd never told anyone about that.  
  
Willow's hands continued to put together the sandwich as her eyes continued to hold his, her green depths unreadable.  
  
"Then there was the first girl you ever kissed. Jessica Taylor. When her parents found out about you, she wasn't allowed near you again, all because you were a Luthor. Do you want me to continue, Lex? I've got plenty more stories to go through, lots involving your sex li-"  
  
"Stop!" He croaked. "Just stop. How? How do you know all this? I never told anyone."  
  
"Believe me, neither did Jessica, Billy or anyone who ever saw you cry," Willow replied in a softer tone. "I know, Lex, because I saw it happen. No one had to tell me because I saw it all."  
  
"How? How the hell could you see it happen?"  
  
The redhead stared at him. "Do you ever wonder what goes on down there?"  
  
"Down where?" Lex was confused. Then it dawned on him. "Oh. You mean down *down* there? As in -"  
  
"That's right. As in Hell. You'd be surprised how much pain can be caused when all you do is live off the pain of others who are still living, knowing that there's nothing you can do. That's one of the main components of Hell."  
  
"You expect me to believe that?"  
  
"I don't expect you to believe it," she answered. "But I know you do. Because you know that's the only way I would know about any of this. Your father is a complete idiot and you haven't told a soul, dead or alive."  
  
Lex clenched his jaw. She was right. "So what else goes on in Hell? Other than spying on people's lives and private moments."  
  
Willow gave him a small smile. "Interested now, are we? Sorry cutie, but as much as I'd love to tell you, I don't think you're ready for that answer yet."  
  
She pushed a plate with the sandwich on it towards him. "Eat up. I've got to head off to a meeting to introduce myself to your Daddy's minions. I'm thinking about firing someone, just to make an impression."  
  
"But -"  
  
"Eat." She lifted up the sandwich and shoved it into his mouth. Eyes widening with indignation, Lex tore the sandwich out of his mouth and glared at Willow as she smirked and walked out of the room.  
  
He growled and savagely took a bite out of his lunch. As he chewed, he went over some of the things she'd said. He still thought she was as loony as a deranged monkey, but her story actually had some validation to it. What if his father had sold his soul? That would mean that Willow had been in Hell. . .  
  
And that the Luthor legacy was a complete sham.  
  
Lex sighed and finished off the last of the sandwich before heading upstairs to his office. This was all too much to take.  
  
He did realise one thing, though. While Willow may be as cuckoo as a clock, she could make a pretty tasty sandwich. 


	5. Chapter 4

PART 4  
  
"Lex! Anything I can get you?"  
  
Lex looked at the pretty teenager in front of him and gave her a weary smile. "Hi, Lana. Can I just get a macchiato? Actually, make that two," he said after a moment's thought.  
  
"Building up on caffeine?" a voice behind him asked.  
  
Lex turned around and grinned. "Hey, Clark. How are you?"  
  
The two men shook hands and sat down on a sofa in the busy coffee shop. The Talon was bustling with customers on the sunny weekend. Business had improved over time and the store was now a favoured meeting hotspot for the younger generation of Smallville.  
  
"Better than you, it seems," the younger man commented, referring to the double hit of caffeine Lex ordered. "Where've you been? I haven't seen you in about a month."  
  
"Here and there," Lex replied absently. "A lot of things have turned up and I've just been trying to find the time and energy to deal with all the changes."  
  
He wasn't lying. Ever since Willow turned up and Smallville, Lex's world had turned upside down. He had no idea how Willow managed to work through Lionel's projects, but she breezed through them while Lex was left struggling to keep his own investments from crumbling. This was a big achievement for her, considering not a single person in Smallville had even seen her.  
  
Oh they tried, though. Local reporters had gotten word of Lionel's departure and were eager to catch a glimpse of the 'new boss' but to no avail. Some tried sneaking onto Lex's property but were sent fleeing in terror after two pitbulls were let loose after conveniently being starved. Metropolitan tabloids were also having a blast with the story, tailing the plot that Lex had secretly married and kicked Lionel out of the business.  
  
Heh. Actually, that story was kind of funny.  
  
Willow was such an enigma. She was completely unfazed by the whole situation, seeming to enjoy the confusion. Despite the fact that she often had to leave the mansion in a disguise, she acted as though this were regular everyday living. She even commented that she liked using the guise of a maid, out doing errands.  
  
Maybe this was normal for her. Compared to Hell, this was probably paradise.  
  
Yes, that meant he did believe her. Well, more like Lex had grown so tired of denying everything and just accepted that Willow was just insane and it was probably best to humour her, no matter how real it all seemed.  
  
There were so many sides to her personality, too. More often than not, she was a perky, yet devious character, constantly undermining Lionel's right hand men. In rare moments, she was almost sad. The first day Lex took her past the high school, she had just stared at all the students milling about, a forlorn expression on her face.  
  
She never spoke about her ordeal in Hell, or about her life back in California, telling him he wasn't ready to hear about it. Instead, she talked to Lex about current events, displaying to him and astounding level of intellect and reasoning, uncommon in such a young woman. Her request not to step in to the limelight as Lionel's successor was one Lex wholeheartedly agreed with -after all, what would people think if a woman younger than Lex managed to seize control of the Luthor Corporation?  
  
"Hello? Earth to Lex?'  
  
Lex snapped out of his daze. "What?"  
  
Lana smiled down at him. "Your coffee," she said, indicating to the two macchiato's on the table.  
  
"Oh. Thanks, Lana." Lex took a sip of the bitter coffee and found his friend watching him expectantly. "What?"  
  
"Is it true?" Clark asked.  
  
"Is what true?"  
  
"Your dad. I heard he left the company in the hands of someone else. Someone who's not a Luthor."  
  
The young Luthor sighed. "You've been reading the tabloids, haven't you?"  
  
"Well, you haven't really been around to confirm or deny anything," Clark pointed out. "I just thought I should ask you first off."  
  
Lex was silent for a moment. "It's half true," he said finally. "My father has . . . gone away for a while and someone is taking care of his projects until he returns. That's all. I don't know why people have been making such a big deal about this."  
  
"Are you kidding me? This is Lionel Luthor's business. Everyone knows he lives for it, and to find out that he's just handed it over to someone out of the family, even temporarily is a little weird. I mean, people say this is a company he'd sell his soul for."  
  
Lex choked on the coffee he was drinking. Coughing at the liquid streaming down the wrong tube, it was several minuted before he stopped, with Clark pounding him on the back all the while.  
  
"Drank too fast," he explained lamely, still emitting a small cough here and there.  
  
Clark was about to say something when his eyes fixed on something behind Lex. His eyes narrowed curiously and Lex wondered what he was looking at.  
  
"That girl has been staring at you ever since you sat down," he said, indicating to the left of Lex.  
  
The older man turned around. Sure enough, Willow was sitting at a table sipping coffee, ignoring the appreciative looks thrown to her by the male patrons of the shop. She caught his eye and winked at him.  
  
Lex groaned. This was great. Here she was, sans disguise in the middle of a busy coffee shop. All he needed now was a reporter to come along who would recognise her as 'one of the maids' and that would just be perfect.  
  
"I'll be right back," he told Clark abruptly, standing up.  
  
As he neared Willow's table, the redhead grinned and motioned for him to sit. Back at the sofa, Clark watched with interest.  
  
"Hi sweetie," she greeted pleasantly. "Nice place you've invested into here."  
  
""Thanks," Lex answered dully. "Why are you here?"  
  
She arched a brow. "My, such bitterness in that tone of yours. Am I not allowed to pop into little coffee shops around town? I do live here now, you know."  
  
"Like I could forget," he muttered under his breath. "I thought you wanted to keep a low profile."  
  
"Oh, I do. Hence the reason why I'm sitting here peacefully drinking my coffee instead of stripping off and parading around naked."  
  
Lex was not amused. At all.  
  
"Come off it, Lex. I've been cooped up and hidden for a month and I'm starting to get claustrophobic in that friggin' castle. Besides, people already know I live with you."  
  
"But they don't know what you look like," he said through clenched teeth. "You're meant to keep out of the public eye until -"  
  
"Until what? Until proprietors cancel their contract because they don't think I really exist on account of having never seen me? I can't keep making and negotiating deals through phone calls and your Daddy's 'associates'. I don't trust the bastards. They're like mindless clones of Lionel with an inferiority complex."  
  
Lex nearly laughed out loud at the way she spoke of his father's men. She all but spat out that sentence.  
  
"Anyway, people have to see me sooner or later, sweetpea. And what better way than this?" She indicated to the bustling joint.  
  
"These people don't even know who you are," he pointed out bluntly.  
  
"Yet," she corrected him. She leaned in closer to him, a glint in her eye. "I want this town to not notice me. To think that I'm just another stupid girl wandering around town so that when they finally figure out who I am, they'll be too far into the phase of being stunned stupid that nothing will stop me from crushing them."  
  
Her lips slowly curved into a smile. "I have big plans for this town, Lex. And you're going to be a part of it."  
  
Lex was transfixed by the low whisper of which the words had been uttered. A small shiver ran down his spine at the thought of what she was planning to do. Compared to Willow, his father's callous approach to life and people seemed almost warm.  
  
Leaning back in her chair, Willow took a final sip of her coffee. "Maybe it's time you went back and joined your friend," she suggested. "Who is he, by the way? He's not as cute as you, but he's got some nice potential to be a lot of fun."  
  
The Luthor shook his head at the suggestive hint in her tone. "Don't even think about it. He's in high school and he's a good friend of mine, which means you're to stay away from him and -where are you going?" he broke off when she stood up, bag in hand.  
  
"I'm going to go flirt and corrupt your friend," she replied innocently. She laughed at the look of outrage that flashed over his features. "Take it easy, hun. He's too young for me. I have to meet up in person with one of Lionel's accountants. Something about tax." Willow shrugged and winked at him. "See you at home, Lexy."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Clark watched the exchange between Lex and the redhead with fascination. The girl seemed completely at ease, taunting even, while Lex's stiff mannerisms and scowl represented the exact opposite. Either they both hated each other, she liking to tease him, or he just hated her while she didn't care. Whatever it was, Lex clearly did not like the woman.  
  
His curiosity on who the strange woman was peaked, and Clark strained his ears to listen to the conversation. He knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping, but he couldn't help it. There was just something about this woman . . .  
  
"Hey Clark. What are you looking at?"  
  
Clark looked up at Lana, who was looking down at him with a quizzical expression on her face. She peered in the direction Clark had been staring at and her brow creased. "Who's she?"  
  
"Don't know," Clark shrugged. "I've never seen her before. Probably new in town."  
  
Clark continued to stare at Lex and the mysterious redhead, missing the strange look to pass over Lana's face. "Okay then. I'll um. . . I'll leave you to do . . . whatever you're doing."  
  
She walked away quickly and Clark saw the woman stand up to leave. She looked directly at Clark and noticed his attention fixed on her. Throwing a wink at him, she gave Lex a grin and left the shop. Pretending to tie his shoelace, he feigned a look of surprise when Lex sat back down next to him. He looked pissed.  
  
"So Lex," the teenager began conversationally. "Who was she?"  
  
The other man made a sound which sounded an awful lot like a grunt. "Nobody," he mumbled.  
  
"Nobody? You don't get this pissed off over 'nobody'. Who was she?"  
  
"She's trouble," Lex seethed. "Pure, chaotic trouble. I don't know how much more of this I can handle."  
  
"Why, what did she -oh." Clark suddenly understood. "Is she an ex- girlfriend? Is that what you've been dealing with this past month?"  
  
"Ex-girlfriend?" Lex snorted as though it were the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. "Hardly. I'm not that insane yet."  
  
"So who is she to you, then?" Clark pressed. For some reason, he really wanted to know.  
  
Lex finally understood the meaning behind his friends' questioning. "Don't bother with her, Clark. Trust me. She's nothing but trouble."  
  
"She can't be that bad," the teenager reasoned.  
  
"She is. And more. Trust me on this and stick with the pursuit of Lana. The only thing you'll get out of this girl is a headache and a need to check your sanity."  
  
"Are you sure? She's kind of pretty. . . "  
  
"Hey, I'm not going to deny that she's easy on the eyes. But looks are deceiving, and this girl just proves that. The sooner she leaves, the better."  
  
"So she's just visiting, then?" Clark was a little disappointed.  
  
Lex let out a bitter laugh, his blue eyes darkening with disdain.  
  
"I wish." 


	6. Chapter 5

PART 5  
  
Clark rang the doorbell of the Luthor mansion. He could hear the light chime echoing inside the house as he waited. He was there to drop off some receipts from his dad for some bulk produce Lex had ordered.  
  
The door opened. The housekeeper smiled at Clark before stepping to the side to let him in. "The boss is upstairs," she informed him before he could ask. She bustled off quickly, leaving Clark to figure out just where upstairs. She was a busy little lady, always rushing around doing this and that. Must be hard looking after a castle.  
  
Walking up the staircase, he looked around, admiring the sheer size and design of the mansion. It never ceased to amaze him just how surreal and out of place the castle seemed. Especially in Smallville.  
  
He reached Lex's office and knocked on the door. Somewhere in the distance he could hear water running. Must be the housekeeper. Knocking again, he waited but there was no answer.  
  
This was odd. Rose had told him the boss was upstairs. He twisted the doorknob and pushed it open. "Lex?"  
  
There was no one in the office, which was really odd. This was the one place Lex was usually found when at home. Clark walked inside the room and stood in front of his friend's desk. He dropped his backpack to the floor and thought. Lex was probably busy, so maybe he should just leave the receipts on the desk along with a note telling him he had been there.  
  
As he searched for a pen and paper, he heard a soft 'pitter-patter' behind him.  
  
"Hello."  
  
Clark jumped at the unexpected voice and spun around to face the person standing in the doorway.  
  
Oh God.  
  
It was the girl Lex had been talking to the week before at the Talon. The mysterious redhead.  
  
And she was in a towel.  
  
She'd obviously just stepped out of the shower, which explained the sound of water running earlier. Her wet hair hung around her shoulders, droplets of water falling to the cool stone floor of the hallway.  
  
Clark knew he was staring at her. He couldn't help it. It was all he could do not to let his teenage hormones take over and use his x-ray vision to look beyond the towel.  
  
No. Bad thoughts, Clark. Bad, bad thoughts.  
  
The woman noticed his fixation on her and smiled impishly. "Can I help you?"  
  
Talk, Clark, talk! "I -um. . . there was no one in the office so, uh . . . I-I have receipts f-for Lex so I'll, um, I'll just leave them. O-on his desk." Clark swallowed hard.  
  
She cocked her head to the side and her brow creased. Then she grinned at him. "You're Lex's friend from the coffee shop, right? I'm Willow."  
  
She walked into the office, one hand clutching at the front of the towel wrapped around her body. Her other hand was outstretched and still wet. She noticed the water glistening on her arm and with a sheepish grin, wiped it dry on the damp towel before extending it again.  
  
Clark followed the movements of her hand. She was really . . .wow. Realising that she expected him to respond, he awkwardly stuck out his hand and shook hers quickly before dropping it.  
  
"I-I'm Clark. Clark Kent. A-and I should really go. . . away now."  
  
Eyes downcast with an incriminating blush staining his cheeks, Clark dropped the receipts on Lex's desk and all but ran out of the office. "Nice to meet you," he mumbled before leaving the room.  
  
It seemed an eternity before he stepped out of the mansion. His breathing slowed as the warm breeze hit his face. Maybe Lex was right; he should definitely stick to Lana. At least with her, he could form a sentence without stuttering.  
  
He walked home, thanking the Gods he hadn't done anything too stupid. If he was lucky, maybe he would never have to see Willow again, for the sake of his pride.  
  
That thought comforted him on the walk home. And it was a good thing he was so engrossed with it, otherwise he would have remembered that he left his backpack in Lex's office.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Clark lifted a bale of hay and dumped it on top of a pile of stacked cubes. He needed to get the hay in an ordered pile to take them over to the stable. Instead of speeding up the process by using his 'extra abilities', he'd decided to do things the normal way. The slow way. Mainly because it took his mind off things. Certain embarrassing things involving a strange girl in a towel at Lex's house.  
  
When he walked home earlier that day, Clark kept going over the meeting with Willow. He also kept wondering what kind of relationship she and Lex had. He remembered Lex vehemently denying any type of relationship with her, so what was the link?  
  
"Hello, Clark."  
  
The teenager yelped and threw a bale of hay in the air in surprise. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard anyone approach. As if in slow motion, the bale spun in the air and landed on the ground with a thud.  
  
"W -Willow?" Great. The stutter was back.  
  
She smiled at him, as though pleased he recognised her. "You remember me," she commented.  
  
Like he could forget. "I -I don't think I, uh . . .wh -um. . . " Breathe in. Breathe out. "I remember."  
  
"Sorry about sneaking up on you again," she apologised. "You just seemed really into your work."  
  
Clark cleared his throat. Several times. "Well, you know . . . gets me, um, thinking. Uh, so what brings you to Kent farm?"  
  
She extended her arm, an object dangling from her hand. "You left your backpack in the office. Thought you might need it."  
  
"Oh." Clark gingerly reached out and took the backpack. "I-I completely forgot about this. Uh, thank you."  
  
Willow grinned at his show of nervousness and a thought popped into the teenager's mind. "H-how did you get here? I didn't hear a car or anything."  
  
"Probably because I didn't come here in a car," she replied. "I walked."  
  
"You *walked*?"  
  
"Mm hmm."  
  
"All the way from the mansion?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Are you insane?"  
  
"I might be. You'd be surprised how many people in this town have told me I am."  
  
Clark flushed a little. "I -I didn't mean it like that. It's just, well . . . it's not a short walk."  
  
"You're telling me," Willow remarked. "I haven't had this much of a hike in years. I don't think my legs are going to forgive me."  
  
"So why did you come here, then?"  
  
"Two reasons. One, I had to give you back your backpack. Two, I wanted to see if I could make you blush again," she grinned cheekily.  
  
And she succeeded. Try as he might, Clark couldn't stop his face from darkening with embarrassment. "A-about that thing earlier, I'm really sorry about seeing you, um, like that."  
  
"Why? I wasn't naked. And I walked in on you, not the other way around."  
  
"Clark? Are you done with the -oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you had someone here."  
  
Jonathan and Martha Kent walked out from inside the house and stopped when they saw Willow. Jonathan had his car keys in his hands.  
  
"I'm nearly done, Dad," Clark replied. "Where are you going?"  
  
"We're just going to pick up a few things in town," his father answered.  
  
"Are you going to introduce us to your friend?" Martha prodded gently.  
  
"Oh, sorry. Willow, these are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Willow."  
  
"Hello to you both," Willow greeted.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Willow," Martha replied. "Are you a school friend of Clark's?"  
  
"Oh no," the redhead laughed. "I just met him today. Clark left his backpack at my house and I was just returning it."  
  
Martha eyed the backpack Clark was trying to hide behind his back and her eyebrows shot up.  
  
"Willow lives at the Luthor mansion," Clark explained hastily at the alarmed look his mother gave him. "Um . . . I think?"  
  
"No, that's right," Willow replied. "Clark was just dropping off a few receipts for Lex but he wasn't home."  
  
Jonathan, who had been staring at Willow warily all this time, stiffened slightly. "Willow?" he said finally. "As in Willow Rosenberg? The one who took over Luthor Corp?"  
  
Willow looked pleased. "I see you've heard of me."  
  
"Oh, I've heard of you, all right. You fired three people in your first week."  
  
"Mr. Kent, I'm sorry to say, but you have it all wrong," the redhead admonished.  
  
"Have I?" Disbelief dripped from his tone.  
  
"Yes. See, I fired three people in my *second* week. Not the first." She gave him a charming smile.  
  
"And that's supposed to make me think more highly of you?"  
  
"Jonathan!" Martha was shocked at her husbands' behaviour. "Willow, I have to apologise -"  
  
"No, Mrs. Kent, it's okay," Willow said. "Even though it's a little rude of your husband to be so judgemental of me considering he doesn't even know me, he is entitled to his own opinion."  
  
Martha was about to respond when Clark interrupted her. "Wait, *you're* the one who took over Lionel Luthor's position?"  
  
"It's just temporarily. Didn't Lex tell you?"  
  
"No, he didn't say anything," the teenager answered slowly. "I -I don't understand. How did you get the company? You're so young and you don't seem to be from around here, so how did you do it?"  
  
"Now, Clark," Willow chided. "I can't tell you that. It takes all the fun out of you guessing."  
  
"So this is a game to you then?" Jonathan asked flatly.  
  
"Hardly," the redhead shot back. "And if it is, this is not what I refer to as fun."  
  
She stared at the older Kent coldly. "In confirmation of your son's comments, yes, I am young and no, I'm not from around here. I'm twenty- three and I'm a California native. Despite what you may think, sir, I am not incompetent and I do not play games with a business such as this."  
  
"You're a long way from California, Willow," Jonathan stated. "What would a sunshine girl want with Smallville?"  
  
"I told you, Mr. Kent," Willow said coolly. "I'm here to run a business. I plan on fixing all the stupid mistakes Lionel's made, and believe me, there are plenty to keep an airheaded ditz like me occupied."  
  
She smiled suddenly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She looked around the farm. "You know, Smallville isn't too different from my hometown. Sure, Sunnydale has more tanning salons and not as many farms, but I guess there are some similarities. They both start with 'S', for one thing."  
  
Jonathan stiffened even more. Willow noticed his agitation and raised a brow. "Oh, it's not an insult. I've never been on a farm before, and I think I rather like them. Say, you don't have a tractor, do you?"  
  
"Uh, maybe I should take you home, Willow," Clark jumped in before his father could answer. Seeing the look on Jonathan's face, it probably wasn't going to be a very nice reply.  
  
"No, Clark. You've got work to do, I'll just walk home. I don't mind." Willow turned back to the silently fuming Kent. "I know you already don't like me, Mr. Kent, and honestly, I don't blame you. I've read what the papers say about me. They make me out to be the devil incarnate, which is really quite funny. But all in all, they know nothing about me. And neither do you."  
  
"I know enough," Jonathan claimed.  
  
"I beg to differ, Mr. Kent," Willow countered. "You know nothing."  
  
She turned to Martha and smiled. "It was very nice to meet you and you husband, though I assume he disagrees. You have a lovely ranch here. And Clark," she turned to the teenager and grinned. "I'll see you around."  
  
And on that note, Willow left.  
  
The Kents watched as Willow walked down the pathway and onto the road. No one spoke until she was safely out of earshot.  
  
"Oh, Jonathan," Martha sighed. "She's new in town. Couldn't you have tried to be nice to her?"  
  
"Maybe you should ask her to be the same to me," he answered.  
  
"She's young," his wife pointed out. "And she's probably here alone. She doesn't know who to trust."  
  
They continued to debate and they headed to the car and drove off, waving to Clark. He looked ahead and noticed that Willow was gone. Either she was a fast walker or she had decided to take the much longer scenic route back home.  
  
Clark couldn't agree with Lex yet. He wasn't able to say for sure that Willow was trouble. She was, however, a mystery.  
  
A very, very odd mystery. 


	7. Chapter 6

PART 6  
  
"So you actually met her?"  
  
The excitement in Chloe Sullivan's voice brought a smile to Clark's face. It amazed him just how animated she could be when she was interested in something.  
  
"Yes, I actually met her," he confirmed.  
  
"What's she like?"  
  
"What's she like?" Clark frowned in thought. "She's. . . nice."  
  
"Nice?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"That's it?  
  
"Well. . . yeah."  
  
"Oh, come on, Clark," Chloe complained. "You have to give me more than that. Nice can be anyone. Nice can be the little old lady down the street. I need more than just 'nice'."  
  
Clark laughed. "I see it's 'Chloe the reporter' I'm talking to today. I'm starting to wonder where 'Chloe the friend' ran off to."  
  
"Hey, I'm still the friend. Just more inquisitive than normal. I just wish you would stop teasing me and just tell me about her."  
  
"Okay, okay." Clark grinned at his friend. They reached Chloe's locker and she stacked her books inside. "Aside from being 'nice', she's also pretty young. She said she was twenty-three."  
  
"Twenty-three?" Chloe's eyebrows shot up. "That *is* young. People in these kinds of businesses are usually over thirty. Anything under is basically unheard of."  
  
"What's unheard of?" a new voice asked.  
  
It was Pete Ross. He clapped Clark on the shoulder and grinned at Chloe. "What have I missed?"  
  
"Clark met Willow Rosenberg," Chloe told him. "You know, the person who took over for Lionel Luthor."  
  
"Did you?" Pete turned to his friend. "What's she like?"  
  
"Why is everyone asking me that?"  
  
Pete shrugged. "Just wanna know."  
  
"Apparently she's nice," Chloe filled in.  
  
The newcomer was confused. "That's what's unheard of?"  
  
"No, not that. She's twenty-three. I was just saying that it's strange to have someone so young be in charge of so much."  
  
"Lex has a lot of power and he's not much older than Willow," Clark interjected.  
  
"But Lex is a part of the family," the blonde pointed out. "Everyone knows Willow isn't. How is it that someone so young got that position?"  
  
"Hold on," Pete cut in. "Let's get the important stuff out first. Is she hot?"  
  
Clark laughed and Chloe threw the other teenager a dirty look. "What?" he protested. "People want to know."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "People as in you?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Well, she is a looker," Clark admitted. His cheeks darkened a bit as he remembered how much of her he'd seen. "There is something else about her, though."  
  
Chloe closed her locker door. "What?"  
  
"I don't know. She's kind of. . . odd."  
  
"Odd?" Pete repeated.  
  
"Yeah. Like, I don't know. . . odd."  
  
Chloe shook her head. "Clark Kent, you have got to learn how to describe things. You're starting to sound like a jock."  
  
"Hey!" Pete was mildly offended.  
  
The blonde just grinned at him and the trio made their way to the home of the school newspaper, The Torch. Chloe opened the door and flipped on the light. "So how odd is she?"  
  
"You mean, is she odd enough to make it up on the Wall of Weird?" Clark translated, referring to the wall of newspaper and magazine clippings Chloe had constructed, detailing all the strange happenings in Smallville since the meteor shower.  
  
She shrugged and turned on the computer. "New girl in town, might be interesting."  
  
"Well, she's odd, but not the weird you're hoping for," the other teenager replied, setting down his backpack. "Just strange. I know she's not from around here at all. She said she lived in California, a place called Sunnydale."  
  
"That *is* strange," Pete commented. "Why would anyone move from California to Smallville? Okay, so she's running Luthor Corp, but why doesn't she stay in Metropolis?"  
  
Chloe snickered. "Because she wants to look at the farms."  
  
Clark threw her a good-natured glare, remembering the comments she made about farms the day before. "I think she has more plans than that here."  
  
"Maybe I should run a check on her," Chloe suggested. "See what kind of things I can dig up."  
  
"That's a good idea," Clark agreed. "Then I can let Lex in on some of the things you find. I don't think he likes her."  
  
"If some girl younger than you takes over your father's business that you were supposed to inherit, would you like her?" Pete pointed out.  
  
"Probably not," the other teenager admitted. He grinned. "But I don't think many girls are interested in taking over a farm."  
  
"Okay, database is up," Chloe spoke up. "Where did you say she was from again?"  
  
"Sunnydale. S -U -N -N -Y - "  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
" -D -A -L -E."  
  
Lex typed in the town name and waited for the results to load up. If this method didn't give him some answers, he didn't know what would.  
  
He'd had enough. There were too many questions and not enough answers. He needed to know who Willow Rosenberg was.  
  
He wasn't getting any answers from her, that was for sure. She remained tight-lipped on the subject of her past. Strangely enough, it was whenever anyone mentioned her past to her tat the confident and abrasive young woman became quiet and subdued, almost melancholic. Obviously, her life back in Sunnydale had some impact on her.  
  
And Lex was determined to find out why.  
  
The search finished, displaying a number of links. The top one was the Sunnydale High School homepage. This could be interesting.  
  
Lex browsed through the site, taking note of the rather bland design of the pages. Clearly a student designed the site. As he scanned through the information on the assortment of pages, he came across an interesting section, detailing class sizes. Sunnydale's student population was alarmingly disproportionate to the rest of the area. And he thought Smallville was a small town.  
  
Ahh, what was this? Online yearbook.  
  
Lex clicked on the class of 1999. Judging by Willow's age, this was probably the year she graduated.  
  
He was right. Lex couldn't help but grin as the picture of an eighteen year old Willow popped up on the screen. Overalls. She was wearing overalls. And she had an almost helpless expression on her face, highlighting her innocence.  
  
He read through her student profile. Academic status: Valedictorian of her class. Future aspirations: Computer programmer. Biggest achievement: Surviving high school.  
  
Lex couldn't believe this was Willow. The same Willow who had taken over his father's business and crushed his associates. He was about to continue reading when he noticed something odd.  
  
There was no class of 2000. Or a class of 2001. In fact, there were no more graduates after Willow's year and no explanation why.  
  
Heading back to the main search page, he skimmed through the other links for news on Sunnydale High School. He came across a number of strangely headed articles.  
  
Giant Mutated Snake Spotted in Park. Teenage Death: Injuries to Throat. Young Boy Found Drained of Blood.  
  
A-ha! Found it.  
  
Explosion Destroys Sunnydale High School.  
  
The Luthor heir was about to click on the link when the headline below caught his attention.  
  
Mysterious Woman Destroys Police Station -Wanted for Questioning.  
  
Shrugging to himself, Lex followed the link and waited for the article to load up. When it did, he didn't read it. He was too busy staring at the picture.  
  
It was Willow. Standing in front of her police station, arms outstretched to the sky. Only she looked different. Her hair was black and. . . were her eyes black, too?  
  
Lex leaned back in his chair. The article had been written over a year ago, before Willow supposedly went to Hell. Was that the reason why her friends sent her there? Because she destroyed a police station? It didn't make sense.  
  
Lex settled more comfortably in his seat. This was going to be a long night.  
  
But at least he was getting answers. 


End file.
